'Shaken' Sofia Goggia wants to honour former team-mate in World Championship downhill
Before her biggest race of the season, the Italian speedster shares grief after passing of Elena Fanchini: "I've never cried so much for anyone in my life," said the 2018 Olympic champion.
Alpine Skiing
Italy’s speed queen Sofia Goggia admits to have felt "shaken" and "devastated" after her friend and former team-mate Elena Fanchini passed away on Wednesday aged 37.
"I've never cried so much for anyone in my life, but I had never lost a friend before either," said the 2018 Olympic champion on Friday (10 February) after going fastest in final training ahead of Saturday’s downhill at the 2023 FIS Alpine World Ski Championships.
“Yesterday (Thursday) has been a devastating day for all of us. When we heard the news, it was a shock for all of us. Yesterday we did the (second) training run but inside we were deeply shaken. I focused on my skiing but once I came back to my hotel I cried no-stop for three hours."
Fanchini was still a popular athlete in the skiing family and several athletes, including Mikaela Shiffrin, remembered her on social media.
Goggia posted an heartfelt letter dedicated to her friend 'Elly' starting with these words: "People I've loved will always remain in my heart."
Goggia shared how the team grieved the loss of their friend.
“We had a terrible day. Yesterday we met the priest from the World Cup and we prayed all together in a circle around a table, holding our hands. While he was talking, we cried, and this created a nice energy amongst us,” the Italian said.
"We reflected on how we often waste time and energies for silly things, while the important things are others. All this crying helped us because at dinner we talked about Elly and we remembered her for the good times we’ve been living her."
The Italian speedster said that she will try to honour the memory of Fanchini on the piste: "Life goes on, we are at the Worlds. We have to give all we have also for her, because she would like that."
Sofia Goggia: I don't feel any pressure, I feel better than at Beijing 2022
Goggia has recently recovered from a hand fracture suffered during the St. Moritz downhill in mid-December and experienced some flu symptoms during her first days in Meribel for the Worlds.
“I went through a sort of inner earthquake, so the approach hasn’t been easy at all. But now we are here and I have all my ‘weapons’ ready to do well: sharpness, focus and an eagerness to fly,” the Italian said.
“I’m at the starting gate of a World Championships and the dream of every kid is to win a medal. So I have this chance and I want to enjoy it.
“At the moment I don’t feel any pressure. If I start to feel it, I’ll use the pressure to push on my outside ski, that’s the best way to avoid the bad pressure!”
Despite all the difficulties, the Bergamo native believes that it’s hard to draw any comparisons with her experience at Beijing 2022.
At that time the 30-year-old completed a remarkable recovery to take silver in the Olympic downhill only three weeks after injuring her left knee.
“Now I can walk by myself,” she joked.
“In Beijing I went through a very difficult journey, a crazy and desperate journey. I really came close to the limit, while now I feel 10,000 times better. Now I definitely feel better, although it doesn’t mean I’m going to win."